


bad dreams

by floaromas



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-19
Updated: 2018-11-19
Packaged: 2019-08-26 01:43:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 644
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16672396
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/floaromas/pseuds/floaromas
Summary: this isn't real.





	bad dreams

**Author's Note:**

> help all i can do is ffxiv ocs

It’s hot.

He can feel the flames licking at his cheeks and hands, reaching out like hands, clawing at his skin, his hair, his clothes. He can hear them crying around him, those he loved, those who loved him, and yet he cannot make out what they are saying. The hellish chorus seems to drill into his head, ridding him of all other coherent thoughts.   
He wants to get away. Please, stop screaming.  
This isn’t real. He knows it isn’t real. Leave him alone.   
He runs through the smoldering village, tents falling in on themselves as he passes by, vibrant flames billowing in the nighttime sky. If he can just leave through the front gate perhaps it will end. He always wakes up before the gate, but just once maybe...maybe-  
There’s a collapsed tent in front of the gate this time. He pauses before the crumbled stone foundation, his breath ragged as he inspects the new addition to his dream. He glances around the fallen structure, wondering if he should just circumnavigate it and continue on his mission to the gate. Before he can move, however, a hand shoots from beneath the rubble, its fingers curling around his ankle.  
“Aelin, why? I thought you loved me.”  
His blood runs cold.   
“Aelin, why did you let it happen to me, too? How could you?”  
He can feels the tears threatening to choke his throat. This isn’t real. This isn’t real-  
“What kind of a hero are you if you can’t even protect what you love?”  
He feels so dizzy, the world swirling away beneath his feet.

“Aelin.”  
Stop it.  
“Aelin!”

Aelin awakens to a pair of hands frantically shaking his shoulders, rousing him from his nightmare. He shoots up from his reclined position, gasping as he attempts to gather his breath. He can feel the smoke in the back of his throat, clouding his lungs. The hands on him adjust to wrap loosely around his waist.  
“Aelin.”  
The miqo’te cranes his head back at his name, blinking back the sleep from his eyes. Gestalt is here, holding him, his eyebrows scrunched with worry, his green eyes wide and fearful. This is how he always looks when this happens, but Aelin supposes it never gets easier (for either of them).   
Gestalt adjusts himself so that he’s sitting on his knees on the bed by Aelin’s side. One of his hands moves to the other man’s face, brushing his dark green hair away from his eyes.  
“Aelin, are you okay?” he whispers.  
Aelin’s body trembles as he meets Gestalt’s gaze. The words that usually escape him so...now he can’t even recall them. Anything he may have said fell from his mind as uselessly as dust. He glances away from Gestalt to his claws digging at the bedsheets.  
“Aelin.” Gestalt repeats his name firmly, urging him to look back at him. “Aelin, please.”  
He can’t do it. Aelin pulls his head away, shaking his mop of hair. He can see the hand lying beneath the rubble as clear as day.  
“Aelin...I need you to talk to me.” Gestalt’s voice is quiet, pleading. He removes his other hand from Aelin’s waist to cup both of the miqo'te cheeks.   
Ever so slowly, Aelin looks back at him, his eyes red with unshed tears.  
He wants to say it. I’m sorry. I do love you. Don’t leave. His jaw locks stubbornly, sending a shock of pain down his body.   
Gestalt waits, ever patient, but no words come out. Aelin’s eyes overflow with tears as he hisses from his clenched teeth, his ears pressed back upon his head. Oh god’s, let him speak, let him tell him he’s sorry. It wasn’t real but he’s sorry, he’s so sorry, please forgive him-  
Gestalt pulls Aelin to his chest, embracing him tightly. “It’s okay. I’m here.”   
The hissing does not stop.


End file.
